SHU Study Abroad in Geneva, Switzerland

SHU study abroad

03/06/2017

Soo.. it has been a little while since I have last posted. Alas, it was for a good cause.. more travel! In the past couple weekends I have gone to Germany, Belgium, England, Ireland and I can't forget more Geneva adventures!

Berlin, Germany

About four weeks ago I went to Berlin, Germany. This trip was filled with a lot of walking, a lot of learning and an impactful look into the past.

During my trip we went to the Berlin wall memorial. The memorial part of the wall is outdoors and has information on the history of the wall. The photo above really sat with me during and after the trip. During the time of the division of east and west Berlin. During this period there were many cases were people were divided from friends and family on contradicting sides. The statement "We never had to build a wall to keep our people in," was interesting to consider. The wall is more than a symbol of a pervious division but it representative of time when the opinion of the people of Berlin was silenced.

Below is also at the memorial. The photos were faces of people who died during the period of the Berlin wall in addition to some of their stories and information.

The two photos below were also at the memorial.

Berlin is also the capital city of Germany. The photo below is part of their parliament building.

The two photos below are of Check Point Charlie. This sign now stands of a symbol of the time during the Cold War when people would escape through this part of town. It functioned similar to an underground railroad in hopes that those who escaped were not killed for breaking the law in the process.

This is an iconic part of the Berlin skyline. It is called Fernsehturm de Berlin. During my time I went up to the top which is an observatory deck that shows an arial view of the whole city.

This is also another symbol of Berlin, it the Brandenburg Gate. It used to function as an entrance to the city but now it is just an structure that draws people.

Here is a photo of me in front a part of the Berlin wall. The second photo is right at the start of the longest part of the remaining wall. I thought it was interesting how you can see that some of the graffiti has been updated and made relevant to our current world.

During our time in Germany we decided to go to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. This was one of the most impactful experiences that I have ever had. The photos below can speak for themselves.

Sooo... despite all of the interesting experiences I had to leave time for lost of food! Berlin was very cheap and very delicious.. as you can probably tell from my cheese pretzel and bratwurst. .. Actually Germany is so cheap that when I accidentally packed 110% wrong.. I ended up buying a big winter coat for 20 euro.

Brussels, Belgium

AHH!! BELGIUM!! Soo... Belgium was most certainly one of my favorite places I have visited so far.. I also ate SO MUCH. Besides eating my weight in Belgian waffles, I also downed lots of fries because Belgium is where fries were born.. and my goodness were they good.

This waffle is different is because it considered a Brussels waffle which is less sweat, lighter and made with a different batter than their other waffles.

I had some amazing beer during my trip. In addition we went to a bar called Delirium which has the most flavors of beer in the world rolling it with just over 2000.

A big part of the skyline is the Atomium. This structure was super interesting to visit. It was built to look like an atom because it is supposed to represent the positive aspects of nuclear research. Inside of the structure this is an observation deck and a museum that takes you around different parts of the atom.

Chocolate!! So of course Belgium is also know for their Belgian chocolate. As a result I found myself was this quaint chocolate museum with a very happy chocolatier. In the photo below he is telling us about how to make the perfect truffles and how different parts of the coco bean are used.

The photo below is of the Manneken Pis which is a peeing boy fountain that is a trademark of Brussels. Don't be fooled though this little lad is a lot smaller in person.

The following are more photos from around town including me cheesing in front of the Royal Palace.

Bruges, Belgium

So for starters.. Bruges has proven to be one of if not my favorite place in Europe. The town itself looks as if it is out of a storybook. The city itself looks medieval in every way that it can. However, over the years the town has made an effort to maintain this look for tourism. Yet, even so it has become one of the most beautiful places I have seen.

This photo is from the beginning of our walking tour through the city. There was this incredible layer of fog that sat over the city during the start of our day.

At about mid day the sun broke through the town.

Bruges has a river that goes through the city much like Venice, Italy.

Oh yes more food! Not pictured: The other 17 waffles already in my stomach.

Now let me talk about these fries... So as I mentioned Belgium is home of the fry.. which I naively didn't know until I by chance ordered fries on my first day there and they tasted so amazing that I looked up where fries come from.. I felt a little dumb after that but as a result I needed to eat as many fries as humanly possible. Below are the best fries I will ever have until I can go back and have them again. The way that Belgium fries are made are specific they are first fried in one temperature then another temperature to make sure that the fry has the right balance of crunch and potato. Also in Europe fries are often served with mayo and what I have on these ones it called Samurai sauce which our tour guide said was made a little different then how it is usually sold but it was similar to a chipotle mayo but with more flavor and a stronger kick. A+ eats Belgium 10/10 would return.

During my day in Bruges we decided to go to a Brewery and below are a couple photos from my experience.

Another stop we made was at a church in town. ... scroll through to see why this church was extra special.

Lady and Madonna by MICHELANGELO.The little town of Bruges it not only just majestic but it is also home to the only sculpture by Michelangleo outside of Italy. the sculpture itself was pretty far away to see but it was still a pretty amazing thing to stumble upon. Prior to coming to Bruges we had no idea that this was here so it a nice surprise.. along with the fries.

London, England

Hello London! My trip to London was a little more special because I was visiting a friend from Sacred Heart who is studying there.. and it was my 21st birthday!

Below are some photos from our adventures around town.

The Shard!

The photo below was taken during our time on the London eye. It was a pretty cool experience and considering London's stereotypes it only felt fitting that it was overcast and rainy.

London Eye

Big Ben!

Tower Bridge!

Westminster Abbey!

Casually stumbled upon Cleopatra's body in the British museum

Buckingham Palace

Here is Mckenzie and me on the night of my birthday!

So on Saturday night we decided to get the best Indian food that I have ever had.. which entailed waiting in line for two hours outside in the rain and yes it was worth it.

They even gave us complimentary chocolate chia tea.

OH YEA MY BROTHER VISITED AGAIN.Lol good ol'e N came to hangout with me in London for my birthday... this time he as brought his girlfriend Rachel which was my joking request after bidding him a farewell in hopes to see him again soon... seems like he took it serious and hopped back on a plane to Europe just about a month later.

Dublin, Ireland

Wow Ireland, you've impressed me. For everyone who is skeptical about Dublin in comparison to the rest of Ireland.. don't worry I explored outside the city as much as I could. Ireland was filled with friendly and interesting people.. this including a woman who stopped us in the train station to insist it was important that we, "don't just meet the attractive Irish people, it is important that you meet the potatoes such as myself too,". Otherwise.. the Irish culture impressed me. Even with a canceled flight home and almost getting stranded.. Ireland now holds a special place in my heart.

This photo is of a pub we went to one night called Cobblestone. My goodness.. this was such an amazing experience. It was packed in there and I stood hugging the coat rack listening to the best Irish music I have ever heard. Everyday of the week people gather here to play. While they have regulars, new comers are always welcomed to just join in and it was so interesting to watch as their music was not only another language but it was a story that musicians who had never met before understood how to tell and just jump in rhythm flawlessly.

This photo was taken near the city center of Dublin. In the background you can see the harp monument that represents the symbol of Dublin, the Harp. Which is actually taken from the symbol on Guinness beer and now they both represent each other.

These two photos are from my tour of the Guinness factory! The factory was PACKED but totally worth it. At the end of the tour you get a free Guinness that you can drink with a 360 view of Dublin. Disclaimer: I learned the fact about the harp on my tour..

My goodness my Guinness

Howth, Ireland

Aside from Bruges, I think Howth very easily may be only of my new favorite places. While waiting in the airport to leave for Dublin a very friendly Irish man told us that this was his favorite place to go to and I can now understand as to why. The small town was simple yet perfect. In addition I had some amazing seafood while here which alone is pulling me to go back. Below are some photos from the day.

Me

Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

Another place outside of Dublin that we went to was Dun Laoghaire. This was on the opposite cost of Howth but had a similar feeling. Howth was more quaint but Dun Laoghaire still had some interest aspects that you can see below.

Geneva, Switzerland

Can't forget Geneva! So during all this travel we had some nice days during the week in Geneva. Even though I will continue to travel every weekend, I still have been trying to explore Geneva and Switzerland little by little. Here are some photos from adventures throughout the city.

Stumbled upon this beautiful swan while on a run.

65 degree day means that the alps are extra pretty. This view is on a dock next to my school.

At the end of a run on another nice day.

These two photos are from a park in Geneva where people regularly come to place giant chess.

BIRTHDAY SURPRISES! So thanks to the best people in the world who sent me a box filled with goodies for my birthday. Here is a little shoutout for making my birthday abroad so much better from 4,000 miles away.

Pictured below: Some amazing people that I call my best friends.

woowwe I am finally done... Well for now! Many more weekends to come so look out for more!

02/06/2017

Soo.. life has been rather busy but I can't complain. This post is going to catch up on everything that I have been up to over these past few weeks. Time has felt a lot longer than it has been but I suppose that happens when you drink a lot of coffee and don't stop traveling.

So first things first.. my brother visited! Thats right.. my brother popped in for the weekend.. He has a fancy job for United airlines and he was bit by the travel bug so two days of travel for two days of hanging out in Switzerland was just a casual weekend for him. However, I would say it was beyond worth it.

The first thing that my brother and I did was go to CERN. CERN is a center for nuclear research. In short it is an underground headquarters where a bunch of physicists try to recreate the big bang by releasing protons and neutrons into an accelerator hoping that during their guided underground journey they will collide. The wall my brother and I are standing in front of is supposed to show what the inside of an accelerator looks like. .. Lots of wires.. lots of things that only the smartest people in our world can comprehend. .. CERN is also where the internet was invented! It was first developed as a way for physicists to seamlessly pass information. So I would say it is one of the most influential places in our world. It was very interesting to just be in the presence of something so impactful.

Yet, why stop with just nuclear science. We decided to stop by one of the other most influential places in our world, the United Nations. These two images are from our tour of the United Nations. On the left is the Human Rights Chamber ceiling. The design appropriately fits the meeting room and was even more intricate and interesting in person. On the right is another iconic symbol of the United Nations in Geneva. This 39foot chair stands strong with a broken leg in representation of the rights of the disabled.

International Tattoo Convention!

Okay so I didn't get a tattoo.. but my roommate did! Geneva is know for their international festivals and this one was rather underwhelming but it was still interesting to be surrounding by the worlds best tattoo artists handpicked and invited to participate in a festival of ink.

So this is my bathroom in my dorm. Just kidding...... On day two of my brother coming we went to the city of Montreux and went on a tour of the Chillon Castle. This photo is an example of the bathrooms that they used to have back in 1005 when the first recorded use of the castle was.

Since the first record of the castle there were many different political uses. However, I read the wikipedia page after leaving and it claims that this is the castle that is depicted in Little Mermaid. I can't claim that this was stated anywhere during my visit but I will say that a google image search didn't seem to lie to me.

This photo is from the top of the castle, in the distance you can see the Swiss alps peaking through.

On our adventure to the castle, we found this ascetically pleasing spot. The circle bench perfectly frames the castle and I just had to take a picture.

International Film Festival!

After passing this sign everyday on my commute to school, I decided to look it up. One night myself and some friends decided to check out one of the movies playing and it was an awesome experience. The film we ended up seeing was a documentary called: Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World. The film was about the evolution of the internet and the way that information and technology plays into our world. I was beyond impressed with the film and I am certainly satisfied the festivals I have attended in Geneva thus far.

Italian Alps in Cervinia !

This is the Italian side of Zermatt meaning the other side of the mountain is Switzerland. So if you went skiing you had to bring your passport because you could literally ski into another country.

Sooo... I went to Italy! Not not your typical Italian view but I will tell you that I was far from disappointed. The food was amazing the alps were beautiful.... Except for the part when I got high altitude sickness. Long story short I had to go to an Italian ER which was only a trauma unit so they gave me a shot in to open my lungs because asthma was not on my side this weekend. Besides the fact that they didn't charge me, check my ID, ask for insurance and that I was in an ER surgical room but it helped my struggle to breathe.. That being said for everyone who is wondering.. I did not get to ski but if you are wondering why you now know, the alps literally took my breath away.

This is a photo of me with the alps smiling because I could finally go outside and breathe!!

The photos below are from the cablecar that I took to the top of the alps. The second photo is the iconic matterhorn and the rest are what I took during my adventure to the top.

Barcelona, Spain !

So to finally catch up to speed.. This past weekend I went to Spain! Below is a photo of me in the main square. The weather was beautiful and the city was just as amazing.

These photos are from when we wandered around town. Just a couple examples of how beautiful this city is.

Friends and mosaics!

During our time in Spain we went to Park Güell which was designed by the famous artist Antonio Gaudí. Below is a picture from the park.

The last thing that we did was go to La Sagrada Familia. This was one of the most beautiful basilicas that I have ever seen. The structure is not completed because Gaudí did not finish it while he was alive. So instead it relies solely on donations to fund the construction of his design. Below is a series of photos from my visit.

01/25/2017

Wow can't believe how quickly time has already flown by! I have traveled across the ocean to the beautiful city of Geneva, Switzerland. I am settled in at Les berges du rhone and since my arrival on January 9th I have already been to two countries, made new friends, ate a lot of cheese and seen some of the most breath taking views in the world.

On day one myself and a couple people who were on my flight took a walk around the town. As we fought jet lag we saw some sights along with the Geneva famous flower clock. As my time continues I have come to understand how beautiful the little parts of Geneva are. This interesting display is an example of how Geneva utilizes its surroundings as a way to create beautiful and individuality.

This is another example of how Geneva carefully places unique artwork throughout the the city.

Cheese! Throughout my time here to far I have eaten a lot.. a lot.. of cheese. Fondue is very common in Switzerland and it nothing to complain about. Typically it is served with just bread yet other variations come with potatoes, meet and pickles too. .... I just about have tried every way that it is served.

During my first week, my program hosted an iceskating trip which proved to be just the start of winter adventures on this trip.

Old Geneva!

Within Geneva there is a lot of modern architecture but there is also a portion with a perfectly persevered old ascetic town. This photo is at the view from right before you enter old Geneva. The section of the city sits higher than a lot of the rest of town so the view is worth going to see.

During my adventure throughout old Geneva, we climbed to the top of St. Pierre Cathedra. The view was yet again amazing! (I am making a video of this day, so more old Geneva to come in my next post!)

During my first week we also took a day trip to Chamonix, France. Even on a cloudy, muggy day it was still beautiful. Chamonix is the home to Mont, Blanc which is the highest point in Europe. Even though this day was filled with more cheese and wandering around the town it was still awesome to be in a such breathtaking part of our world.

I am a little behind on blogging so here is SOME of what I have done so far. Look out for a another update soon :)